Deferring Task Execution

---
name: "Deferring Task Execution"
description: "Delays execution of a task until a specified time or after a duration. Use when the user asks to run something later, in X minutes/hours, at a specific time, schedule a command, or defer work to a future point."
license: "Apache-2.0"
---

# Deferring Task Execution

Delays agent work until a user-specified time using a background timer script, then proceeds with the deferred task.

## Script Location

`~/.claude/skills/deferred-task-execution/scripts/wait-until.sh`

## Supported Input Formats

The script accepts one argument in either format:

**Duration** - relative delay from now:
- `30s`, `5m`, `1h`, `90m`, `2h30m`, `1h15m30s`

**Clock time** - specific time of day:
- `14:30`, `9:00`, `3pm`, `3:30pm`
- If the time has already passed today, it waits until that time tomorrow

## Workflow

### Step 1: Confirm the user's intent

Confirm what task to perform and when. Parse their natural language into a wait-until argument:

| User says | Argument |
|-----------|----------|
| "in 30 minutes" | `30m` |
| "in an hour" | `1h` |
| "in 2 and a half hours" | `2h30m` |
| "at 3pm" | `3pm` |
| "at 14:30" | `14:30` |
| "at half past 9" | `9:30am` |

Tell the user exactly what will happen and when the timer will fire. Ask them to confirm before starting.

### Step 2: Launch the timer in background

Run the wait script using Bash with `run_in_background: true`:

```
~/.claude/skills/deferred-task-execution/scripts/wait-until.sh <argument>
```

Note the task ID from the response -- you need it for the next step.

### Step 3: Wait for the timer

Use the `TaskOutput` tool to block until the timer completes:

- Set `block: true`
- Set `timeout: 600000` (maximum: 10 minutes / 600000ms)
- Use the task ID from Step 2

**If the wait exceeds 10 minutes**: TaskOutput will return before the timer completes because the maximum timeout is 600000ms. Check the output -- if it does not contain "Timer complete", call TaskOutput again with the same task ID and `block: true`. Repeat until the timer finishes.

### Step 4: Execute the deferred task

Once TaskOutput returns output containing "Timer complete. Proceed with deferred task.", carry out whatever work the user requested.

## Important Notes

- The agent session must remain open for the timer to work. If the user closes the session, the deferred task will not execute. Warn the user about this.
- For very long waits (multiple hours), remind the user that the session needs to stay active.
- If the user asks to cancel, use `TaskStop` with the background task ID.
- Always tell the user the calculated wake time so they know when to expect the action.